CATSKILL — Three local men were charged Monday with possession of stolen property following a series of vehicle larcenies late last weekend, Catskill police said Tuesday.
Monday’s arrests follow about seven reports of larcenies in the William Street and Spring Street area Sunday into Monday, Catskill police Lt. Dan Waer said.
Zachary Shaham, 24, of Catskill, was charged with two counts of criminal possession of stolen property and third-degree criminal possession of a weapon, all class E felonies, and seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class A misdemeanor.
Gino Guindago, 25, of Catskill, was charged with fourth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a class E felony.
Gilbert Martin, 56, of Catskill, was charged with fifth-degree criminal possession of stolen property, a class A misdemeanor.
Catskill police were able to identify the suspects through video footage of the men allegedly trying to use stolen credit cards at Walmart, Waer said.
“They were working in conjunction with each other,” he said.
Multiple residents had credit cards stolen. Some of the credit cards were recovered in trash receptacles outside Walmart, Waer said.
In addition to credit cards, a backpack was stolen. Police recovered the backpack was at the home of one of the suspects, Waer said.
Guindago, Martin and Shaham were issued appearance tickets and are scheduled to appear in Catskill Village Court on Oct. 22 at 5 p.m.
Additional reports of at least seven larcenies came in last week, but those incidents are connected to larcenies and a car theft that occurred in Hudson. This is a separate investigation that has nothing to do with Monday’s arrests, Waer said.
No arrests have been made in that case at this time, Waer said.
Hudson police have identified a suspect they believe is responsible for six to 10 larcenies in Hudson, last week’s larcenies in Catskill and a vehicle theft Sept. 17, Hudson Detective Jason Finn said.
The vehicle was stolen from a home on Union Street and recovered the same day outside ShopRite, Finn said.
“We, in conjunction with Catskill, identified the suspect that had some of the stolen property from Catskill,” he said.
Finn said the larcenies were crimes of opportunity.
“There were no cases of smashing windows out,” Finn said, adding the suspect pulled on car door handles and stole property from vehicles that were unlocked.
A variety of items were stolen, he said.
“Loose change, sunglasses, car chargers, tents, kitchen supplies like bowls or colanders, flashlights,” Finn said. “Anything that could be sold easily.”
Waer encouraged residents to take precautions.
“They should be locking doors,” he said. “Don’t leave valuables in vehicles.”